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POWER 4 Youth
© 2008
Revised 4/22/08
Power 4 Youth News & Events
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POWER 4 Youth
"Climbing to New Heights!"
Grace First Presbyterian Church 3955 Studebaker Road Long Beach, California
Saturday, May 17th 6:30 p.m.
$35.00 per person (No cost for student mentees)
For more information (562) 435-2352 |
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| POWER 4 Youth Expands! This fall we are proud to announce the addition to two new mentoring sites at POWER 4 Youth, one in Long Beach and one in Fullerton. "I am really enthused to bring the program to new neighborhoods to serve more youth. I am especially pleased that POWER 4 Youth will now be serving kids in Orange County, in addition to Long Beach and Lakewood areas," says Val Parker, POWER 4 Youth's Program Coordinator. With the expansion, POWER 4 Youth is creating a model for other churches to use who wish to reach middle school kids through mentoring. For more information on the new sites and other POWER 4 Youth programs please email us at info@power4youth.org |
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POWER 4 Youth’s Annual "Gifts from the Heart" Recognition Event
On May 12, 2007 more the 70 guest gathered for dessert
and
prizes
to honor
participants in The top honor, Mentor/Student Pair of the Year, was awarded to Tim Jackert and Edward Matchem. Tim began mentoring with POWER 4 Youth at the program’s onset eight years ago, tirelessly assisting students in their schoolwork and growth. Edward began working with Tim nearly four years ago, improving from a D/F grade point average to a C+ today. Edward also credits Tim with being the force that turned his whole life around, involving him not only in school, but in church and community service activities as well.
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Building
for the Future On October 14th POWER 4 Youth celebrated it’s fourth annual recognition dinner on October 14th with over 75 guests attending. Mentors, students, volunteers and friends of the organization were all on hand to recognize mentor and mentee participation in the program. The dinner gave POWER 4 Youth an opportunity to thank and recognize volunteers and especially students who have demonstrated tremendous growth and determination against many obstacles in their life. We also welcomed architect A. George Beeler as the keynote speaker of our event. Mr. Beeler is a principal of AIM Associates in Petaluma, California. His designs covers a wide range of building types, from the National Science Foundation award winning Environmental Technology Center to public schools, offices and socially responsible homes. A mentor in Petaluma, Mr. Beeler’s vision is to create cost effective, healthy and ecologically sustainable homes. Guests were also treated to Taiko drummers, great food, and prizes. The evening was a success for the POWER 4 Youth, where everyone celebrated and honored the efforts of all involved.
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training news
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Thoughts from Val- FALL 06 Things are going well with our mentoring program. Each week between 35 and 40 students meet one-on one with mentors, working to improve grades and develop the social skills necessary to be successful in the community. We have a strong program that is well respected. With seven years behind us, we have a track record of accomplishments. Our students’ stories are powerful testimonies to the value of mentoring. Why change? This coming year will see some dramatic changes in POWER 4 Youth. The way we mentor won’t change. The program will remain the dynamic program reaching struggling youth that it is. In fact, most people won’t see any changes at all. What will change is behind the scenes. The Board of Directors is taking bold steps to restructure and build greater community support. New opportunities for input from all stakeholders are being added. Our fund development focus will shift away from relying on investment monies and grants to one of relying on individuals and congregations who believe in what we are doing. Not big changes. Not ones that you will notice, however. But changes that will ensure that we will be able to continue to serve the kids we serve for a long time to come. And that is the only kind of change to make.
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POWER 4 YOUTH HONORS STUDENTS AND MENTORS AT 4TH
ANNUAL “BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE” RECOGNITION DINNER FEATURING RENOWNED
ARCHITECT A. GEORGE BEELER AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER POWER 4 Youth, one of Long Beach’s largest mentoring programs, is honoring both mentors and students at their 4th annual recognition dinner “Building for the Future” on Saturday, October 14th. “I am really enthused about this event. The dinner gives us an opportunity to thank and recognize our volunteers and especially our students who have demonstrated tremendous growth and determination against many obstacles in their life. We are also honored to welcome A. George Beeler as the keynote speaker of our event.” states Val Parker, Program Coordinator. Mr. Beeler is a principal of AIM Associates in Petaluma, California. His designs covers a wide range of building types, from the National Science Foundation award winning Environmental Technology Center to public schools, offices and socially responsible homes. A mentor in Petaluma, Mr. Beeler’s vision is to create cost effective, healthy and ecologically sustainable homes. The dinner starts at 6:30pm at the Grace First Presbyterian Church at 3955 Studebaker Rd. The tickets for the event, which is also a fundraiser for POWER 4 Youth, are $25.00 per person. A 50/50 raffle as well as silent auction will be held.
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Thoughts from Val- SPRING 06 Lately there have been a lot of statistics going around town on the poor state that Long Beach finds itself. And these truly are alarming statistics: Among large cities, Long Beach ranks 6th in poverty, 3rd in child poverty, and the list goes on. If you looked only at the statistics, you may think Long Beach is a mess. These statistics paint a grim picture of the city. But this is only one portrait of Long Beach. As I visit our sites and see our students and mentors in action, I see a very positive picture of our city. I see students working hard to do better—better in school and better in our society. I see adult volunteers tirelessly giving of themselves every week. I see individuals and businesses sharing their resources. I see churches opening their doors to the neighborhood. I see enthusiasm and hope all around. If you would like to see the Long Beach I see, I invite you to attend our Open House, visit one of our mentoring sessions, talk to our families, check out our website. Maybe statistics only define part of who we are as the City of Long Beach. Just don’t forget the rest of the story. —Val Parker, Program Coordinator
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CSULB Intern Evaluates POWER 4 Youth This Spring semester we welcome Anna Jozwiak to POWER 4 Youth as she completes her practicum as a social work undergraduate at CSULB. For her project, Anna is interviewing all of our students, meeting with families and mentors, and compiling an evaluation of the program to present to the Board of Directors this summer. The Board will be able to use the information as they create outcomes and direction for the program in coming years. The report will also be shared with our funders and the community to spread the word of how we are doing. Anna also is a mentor to Darylondra, a venture they both know will last long after this semester is over.
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On October 21, POWER 4 Youth was treated by the Lakers to a pre-season game at Staples Center. Trekking up to Los Angeles on a Friday night, the students and mentors enjoyed seeing the professional basketball team up close as they get ready for the season opener If you have any field trip ideas, please contact Val at 562-435-2352
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Thoughts from Val- Fall 05 A new school year is well underway, and as POWER 4 Youth settles into its routine I take time to look around to see who we are. This year is I am pleased to say we have students from 6th through 12th grade participating. Our mentors range from college students barely out of their teens to retired folks very much past their teens. We draw students from seventeen different schools, and mentors from ten different cities. Some of our participants joined the program a week ago; some have been here for six years. Add to the mix the diversity of our Board of Directors, other volunteers and parents, and we are a very diverse group. I believe the exposure we each have to this diversity is one of our strengths, one of the components helping in the social development of our students. It also makes us a pretty interesting bunch. As always, call me or stop by at one of our sites if you ever want to talk or find out more
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POWER 4 Youth
Celebrates 3rd Annual Recognition Dinner
POWER 4 Youth recognizes the following local businesses and individuals for their donation of prizes and services to our Recognition Dinner:
Armstrong Nursery, Long Beach
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POWER 4 Youth Enhances Mentor Training Program with Training Coordinator Welcome to Frances Schmitz as our Training Coordinator this year. Frances previously served as a mentor, and returns to POWER 4 Youth to assist in arranging our mentor trainings for the year. Welcome back to a wonderful volunteer! Through our monthly training workshops, mentors have had the opportunity to hear directly from high school students on the issues facing teens these days, have participated in a joint training with other Long Beach mentor programs, and held “rap” sessions to discuss current challenges and achievements as mentors. Programs continue through the end of the year. To find out more about our training programs, or to share your expertise, please contact Fran at frances@power4youth.org. |
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Participants were treated to presentations on the many joint JPL/NASA projects exploring outer space planets, stars, comets and moons. One of the highlights was seeing a Mars Rover up really close—running over the students as they lay on the floor even! Students and mentors also learned about the planned crash with a comet on July 3 by a small (unmanned) spaceship, saw the Control and Command Center for Space Operations, and picked up cool posters and other goodies. The day ended after lunch, with everyone understanding a bit more about science, engineering, and the world of outer space. |
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On Thursday, May 5th, nearly one hundred participants, families and
friends of POWER 4 Youth celebrated Cinco de Mayo with an Open House at its
Thursday mentoring site, Covenant Presbyterian Church. The event
offered a number of opportunities to learn more about the program, and
celebrate its successes. A gallery of artwork created by student/mentor
pairs creatively depicted their time in POWER 4 Youth. Prizes Authentic Mexican food donated by students’ families set the scene for
festivities. Mentors shared their stories, visitors were able to see the
program in action, and volunteers, families and policy makers were able to
mingle during the event— which is sure to become an annual celebration. |
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As the weather gets warmer, I wonder if participation in POWER 4 Youth is going to taper off. After all, no one forces our students to attend each week, to spend a hour and a half improving their school skills. Gosh, those longer days sure could make it tempting to stay outdoors and play! Yet I smile each year when I see that our students do not let up in their enthusiasm to meet with their mentors, to continue studying and improving, and to keep striving to do better, indoors, every week, despite the temptations laying outside for each of them. I rejoice in the hope these kids provide to all of us. This year we have seen tremendous growth in the program. We support more matches than ever before, with no sign of slowing. It is each individual involved with POWER 4 Youth that brings us this success: Each mentor that keeps the program relevant for their student, each student who returns week after week, each Board member whose vision continually pushes us to try new things, Susie, our Program Assistant, for keeping things running smoothly at each site, and each contributor that provides the financial support necessary to keep the program running. I am encouraged by so many working together. Though the school year winds down, POWER 4 Youth plans do not wind down at all. I hope each person connected to POWER 4 Youth will be able to attend one of the many special events ahead. It is these connections that make mentoring work. As always, I welcome calls if you have questions or just want to chat more about mentoring.
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POWER
4 Youth mentors joined mentors from other Long Beach area mentor programs
for a special Saturday morning training in October. Hosted by the Long Beach
Mentor Connection, the goal was to bring mentors together to address issues
faced at the different stages of their relationships. Led by Judy Taylor and
Jerry Shirk from EMT Consultants through the California State Mentoring
Partnership, mentors explored a variety of topics, topped off with a
complementary lunch provided by Wild Oats. To continue to create the best
mentoring experience possible for both the students and mentors, a full year
of mentor training has been scheduled. Training is encouraged for all
mentors, valuable, no matter where the pairs are in their mentoring
experience: There are always new things to learn, new perspectives to hear,
new ways of keeping things from becoming routine. Topics include “Teen Talk:
A Panel Discussion” in December and “LBUSD Testing and Curriculum Resources”
in February, with additional workshops in April and June. We especially
thank Frances Schmitz, our Training Coordinator for arranging the locations,
days and topics, offering something for everyone. To To find out more, email
Fran at 
POWER 4 Youth celebrated
it’s third annual recognition dinner on October 15th with over 75 guests
attending. Mentors, students, volunteers and friends of the organization
were all on hand to recognize mentor and mentee participation in the
program. The highlight to year’s theme, “A Voyage to Excellence” was a
presentation by Jay Burdick of the Dana Point Marine Institute followed by
the awarding of the mentor and mentee of the year awards. Guests were also
treated to a piano performance by Kevin Kao and a singing 
were awarded for the most creative, best composition and best use of
materials. Local graphic designers judged the posters, partnering POWER 4
Youth with the LB Arts Council.